"The bill before me today is Introductory 443-A, sponsored by Council Members Vallone, Fidler, Jennings, Stewart and Gennaro. Intro. 443-A regulates the disclosure of New York City Police Department (NYPD) documents.

"Under current law, City agencies are required to transmit to the Department of Records and Information Services (DORIS) 'each report, document, study and publication required by Local Law, Executive Order or Mayoral Directive to be published, issued or transmitted to the Council or Mayor.' These materials must be submitted to DORIS within ten days of publication and then DORIS is obligated to make the materials available to the public on its website within ten business days.

"The NYPD is required to comply with these provisions and must submit to the City Council a variety of data and reports, including specialized department training materials and all patrol guide procedures for the NYPD. This information must also be submitted to DORIS for posting.

"Our administration supports mandates that create transparency in government. However, in this age of heightened threats and security some information is too sensitive to publicize and could compromise the safety and security of New Yorkers if it were published.

"Intro 443-A amends the administrative code so that certain Police Department reports containing information that could be used to undermine the security of New Yorkers are not required to be transmitted in electronic format to the Department of Records and Information Services nor to be posted on its website. Intro 443-A does not remove the mandate to provide the information to the legislature for oversight purposes, and the NYPD will continue to provide the Council with all the information, data and reports as prescribed by law.

"This law effectively balances the public's right to access information about government with the security concerns we live with today. I would like to thank Council Member Vallone, chair of the Public Safety Committee and the staff of the Public Safety Committee as well as Commissioner Kelly and the staff of the NYPD Legal Affairs Unit for all of their hard work on this important piece of legislation."